Sharon Kirsch of McManis Faulkner Elected President of the San Jose Repertory Theatre

SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwire - Aug 29, 2011) - Sharon Kirsch, a partner at McManis Faulkner and leader of the firm's employment law practice, has been elected President of the San Jose Repertory Theatre (San Jose Rep), the premier non-profit, professional theater company in the South Bay.

Heavily involved with the San Jose Rep, Kirsch most recently served as vice president and she currently sits as a trustee. As president, she is charged with leading the board of directors in fulfilling the San Jose Rep's mission of engaging, entertaining and inspiring people.

"The San Jose Rep is a South Bay institution, and I am honored to serve as its president. The theater offers a number of engaging and entertaining performances while providing educational programs and outreach initiatives that benefit the greater San Jose community," said Kirsch. "I am also grateful that as a firm, McManis Faulkner has been very supportive of my volunteer commitment to the San Jose Rep, contributing a number of resources to its programs."

In her practice, Kirsch represents clients from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies in a variety of industries, handling management-side employment litigation, including wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour cases, and trade secrets. She has successfully represented her clients in state and federal court, as well as before state and federal agencies. Kirsch has obtained favorable rulings for her employer clients from the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in several investigations involving allegations of discrimination based on pregnancy, religion, sexual orientation, and race, as well as sexual harassment.

In addition to the San Jose Rep, Kirsch is an active member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association, where she served on the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees. She has co-chaired the Civil Practice Committee, Federal Courts Committee and Conference of Delegates. Kirsch has also served on a long list of other influential committees.

Kirsch earned her J.D., cum laude, from the Santa Clara University School of Law (1991) and her B.S., with recognition, in communications from Marylhurst College (1984).

San Jose Rep is the premier non-profit, professional theater company in the South Bay, presenting six to seven main stage productions each year. Now in its 31st year as a major contributor to the South Bay's cultural community, San Jose Rep's mission is to engage, entertain and inspire people. San Jose Rep produces innovative theatrical performances that offer fresh perspectives into the human condition, educational programs that promote life-long learning, and outreach initiatives that benefit our diverse community. On the Web: www.SJRep.com.

McManis Faulkner, a San Jose, Calif. trial firm, provides a full range of services, representing both corporations and individuals through trial and appeal. The firm handles a wide range of litigation, including business, civil rights, class actions, criminal, employment, family, general civil, intellectual property, personal injury, probate, and professional negligence. With experienced, well-trained trial lawyers and staff, McManis prides itself on its diversity -- beyond ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, women comprise a majority of the firm's management and staff. On the Web: http://www.mcmanislaw.com.